


Time Transcending

by DebbieF



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Involves a downsized Daniel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-20
Updated: 2013-07-20
Packaged: 2017-12-20 20:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/891330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DebbieF/pseuds/DebbieF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel comes home where he belongs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Transcending

"He seems so sad, Oma. Couldn't I visit him for just a little while?"  
The little boy looked up at his mentor. "Please," he pleaded, his  
eyes full of compassion.  
  
Oma smiled fondly, and not without some small irritation, at her  
incorrigible charge. "Do you never tire of asking the same questions  
endlessly?" The small child had been after her consent for quite some  
time now, to go on his own mission of healing.  
  
The youngster pondered her question to him seriously.  
  
She grew slightly impatient and said, "It doesn't matter anyway, my  
child, the answer is the same as before and the time before that –  
No," she told him gently.  
  
The little one didn't know if he should be upset with her answer or  
not. After all, she was the one supposed to be guiding him in his new  
life. "Will he be happy again, Oma?"  
  
"If you were a tree or a flower, would you not be happy to see the  
sunrise or feel the rain?"  
  
His small mouth immediately opened to respond but then he closed it  
just as abruptly. He wasn't quite sure of himself yet, or of her, to  
give an adequate reply.  
  
"In other words, young one, he will get on with his life and continue  
on his own path. This is not new territory for him. He has traveled  
these roads before."  
  
"I understand but will he smile again, Oma?"  
  
She paused briefly before answering; she had to be careful how she  
worded her answer. "Eventually he will smile again. For now, he's  
mourning the loss of a very dear friend."  
  
"His friend went to travel on his own path. Didn't he?"  
  
"Yes. At one time they were as close as brothers. Some would say that  
they had a father/son relationship."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You are full of questions today," she sighed. "Your thirst for  
knowledge will wear me out sooner than even I expected. But to answer  
your query, you would have had to known the two men's past history to  
each other. In simple terms…they drifted apart. The older man saw  
only the battle to be fought and weapons to be gained. He hardened  
his heart against the pleas of his young friend as to the *whys and  
therefore* of acquiring these things."  
  
"And his friend who now walks our path?"  
  
"Aw! His very young friend saw the world with different eyes. He saw  
only the good in the people he met and always fought for a better  
way. It mattered not if they had great weapons of power; he knew that  
they would gain more friendly allies in their fight against the  
Goa'uld. But each time the young man clashed with his friend, it  
chipped away part of his soul."  
  
"He hurt, just the way this one's hurting now. Did they have a fight?"  
  
"It's better to say that they had a difference of opinion that was  
left unresolved to fester like an open wound."  
  
"He misses his friend greatly, Oma."  
  
"Very much so, my young one. There is a saying among the human's of  
earth… _you never miss what you have until it's gone_."  
  
"Jack's soul hurts. I can feel it deep inside. I want to make it stop  
hurting him."  
  
"Of course you would…it's what you do, Daniel."  
  
"I don't understand, Oma."  
  
"You take the world's hurts upon yourself and then try to heal them.  
Usually at a great cost to yourself."  
  
"Please, Oma. Let me go to him."  
  
The Ancient sighed once more and held out her hand to be taken. Then  
their bodies began to glow and dissolve, turning into energy. Much  
against her resolve, they whisked off to visit Daniel's friend.  
  
++++  
  
Jack kicked the door of his locker for the umpteenth time. "Damn door  
never did stay shut. Have to get maintenance to fix it." When said  
door flew open again, the colonel couldn't help but notice the  
pictures that adorned the inside of it. Some brought back fond  
memories, while others were just sad reminders of family and friends  
that were no longer with him. His gaze focused on two particular  
photos. One of his son Charlie and the other was of himself with  
Daniel. Seems like he failed both of his kids. He kicked out at the  
door again in frustration, with more force than he intended; its bang  
echoed in the empty room.  
  
"Have you ever considered anger management classes, Colonel?"  
  
"Jesus!" shouted the shocked man. He jumped up and whirled around to  
face the intruder. Seeing who it was calmed him down somewhat. "Well  
as I live and breathe. To what do we owe the honor of your presence  
this time, _your Ancientness_." To my limited knowledge there's no  
one dying yet that needs your omniscient help," he said with a touch  
of his trade mark sarcasm. "I mean shouldn't you be off in *glowy  
land* with Danny discovering all that *meaning of life* crap the kid  
always prattled on about?"  
  
"He has come to a crossroads on his path," she said.  
  
"Daniel's changed his mind and wants to come back?" This news perked  
Jack up. "Can he do that?"  
  
"That remains to be seen, Colonel. Daniel and I have been indeed  
discovering new knowledge together. For now though, I have someone  
with me that would very much like to talk with you."  
  
"Pardon me, ma'am, but I don't move in the same illustrious circles  
as you folk. Who would I know that you'd know, except for maybe  
Orlin?"  
  
"Orlin has been rather busy of late and couldn't be with us. He did  
want me to pass on his regards to Major Carter if I were ever in your  
vicinity."  
  
Jack noticed she seemed distracted at times by something or someone  
near her. That _something_ popped out from behind Oma's robes. He  
gave the older man a shy wave. "Hey, Jack."  
  
The colonel's gaze bounced back and forth from the woman to the kid.  
He cocked his head at an angle and said to the boy, "Have we met  
before?" He studied the youngster's features closely. It couldn't be,  
he thought he was hallucinating. Must have been the Tai chicken he  
had for lunch.  
  
Oma saw the his confusion. "Not a hallucination at all, Colonel. He  
is quite real." She sent him a smile as she gently maneuvered Daniel  
closer to his friend.  
  
"He's kinda on the short side. I'm pretty sure when he left here with  
you that he was at least six foot. Didn't realize ascension shrunk a  
person."  
  
"This situation is just as much a surprise to me as it is to you,  
Colonel O'Neill. As you know doubt realize by now, we have no bodies.  
We can take whatever form is pleasing to us. But since Daniel left  
with me, he seems to draw comfort from this younger version of  
himself. Also I have noticed that his memories of his former life are  
a bit vague. Usually we retain all our memories of our former life.  
Like now, he didn't fully remember who you were until he was standing  
in front of you."  
  
Jack took all of this in and looked down at his former teammate and  
best friend. "So, you're the newer, improved version. And you've come  
all this way just to say hello to little ole me?" He sat back down  
and held his breath, as the small boy came forward.  
  
Each step brought Daniel closer to his old friend. He looked for  
approval in Jack's face as he climbed up on his lap. He sat quietly  
for a few seconds, as he adjusted his position.  
  
The colonel looked into a pair of anxious blue eyes that always used  
to get him into trouble. "What, Danny boy?"  
  
Timidly, Daniel asked, "Could I be your son now?" he quickly  
added. "I mean I know that I could never replace Charlie… but I  
haven't had a daddy in a very long time." His lower lip started to  
quiver and tears pooled in his eyes.  
  
Colonel O'Neill could see that the boy had been thinking about this  
for some time. Sarcastic man that he was known to be, always had a  
ready word on the tip of his tongue, until now. He was so overcome by  
Daniel's request that he looked to Oma for help of any kind. But he  
thought it was odd that she didn't look in the least surprised at  
what the boy had wanted. Actually, she looked resigned. "Oma, did you  
know this was coming?"  
  
The Ancient dipped her head and seemed to have found something of  
interest on the floor. When she looked back up toward the colonel,  
she answered him. "I suspected as much. He was never completely happy  
with us, Colonel. I always found us coming back here to your world.  
The child was never truly happy unless he could see all his friends.  
Even though he didn't really remember all of you. He just seemed to  
know that he needed to be wherever you were. I didn't realize how  
strong the pull of his friendships with you all would be on him.  
Maybe ascension was the wrong choice for him…but I couldn't see that  
bright soul's light dimmed. He needed to be seen and heard."  
  
"You mean you wanted him to give the other Ancient's a _wake up_  
 _call_?"  
  
"In a manner of speaking, yes."  
  
"Without any help from you, of course."  
  
"If you would like to see it that way, then that's the way it  
happened."  
  
"How come you're not going all *zenny* on me. I actually understand  
you."  
  
"That is why. It wastes too much time waiting for you humans to – get  
it."  
  
Jack chuckled despite himself at her use of earth slang. He turned  
his attention to the little munchkin now sitting on his lap. It was a  
given that he knew the reasons for Daniel's return now. For the  
moment, he'd keep those thoughts to himself. "Daniel, if you think  
you could put up with this crusty, old bachelor, with bad knees…then  
yes, you can be my son."  
  
"Charlie won't mind, will he?" whispered the young one.  
  
"I bet Charlie's smiling down at us in approval, kiddo."  
  
"Oma, is it alright with you if I stay with Jack?"  
  
"It's a little late to be asking me that question now, but yes it is  
alright. I shall miss your presence at my side. I've grown rather  
fond of you, Daniel."  
  
"I'll miss you too. But you could always visit me." After he said  
this, he was afraid of what her answer would be.  
  
"I believe your friend Teal'c said it best at one  
time. "Undomesticated equines could not drag me away," she said with  
a look of tenderness in her eyes.  
  
Surprised at her admission, the colonel had to have the last  
word. "In that case, I better add on an extra guest room to my house."  
  
The End


End file.
